Dereeling apparatus



y 1970 J. c. KAUFFMAN 3,521,834

DEREELING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 14, 1969 5 5l1wts-5heet 1 INVENTQ JOHN C KAUFFMAN b H900] Gum lRxsH LUNDY AH ornQYS y 1970 J. c. KAUFFMAN 3,521,834

DEREELING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 14, 1969 5 Sheets-5heet INvENToR JOHN C. KAUFFMAN July 8, 1970 J. c. KAUFFMAN 3,521,834

DEREELING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 14, 1969 5 Sneets-Sheet d INvENroR JOHN C KAUFFMAN M Hooo Gusr, \R\SH\ Lumm A-Horneys United States Patent Office 3,521,834 Patented July 28, 1970 3,521,834 DEREELING APPARATUS John C. Kaulfman, Fort Wayne, Ind., assignor to Phelps Dodge Magnet Wire Corporation, Fort Wayne, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 14, 1969, Ser. No. 799,418 Int. Cl. B65h 49/00 US. Cl. 242-12952 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dereeling apparatus for dispensing strand material, for example, wire, wound on a reel. The apparatus comprises a frame, a member and a spindle secured to the frame. The member has a flat surface which is angularly disposed to the horizontal. The spindle extends from the member away from the fiat surface and over the frame. The spindle has an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the flat surface of the member, and, also, angularly disposed to the horizontal. A reel can be placed on the spindle with one of its ends contiguous to the aforementioned flat surface. The spindle has a distal end portion which functions to guide a reel onto the spindle without damaging the wire on the reel. The spindle and reel are enclosed by the aforementioned member, a wall element coaxially positioned of the spindle and secured to the frame, and a lid removably attached to the wall element. The lid has an aperture formed therein. When the lid is positioned on the wall element, the aperture is positioned with respect to the spindle such that the axis of the spindle when extended passes through the center of the aperture. Both the wall element and the lid have interior guiding surfaces which guide the Wire from a wound condition on the reel, through the aforementioned aperture, and into a payed-out condition. In a specific embodiment, a guide having spaced-apart eyelets is secured to the lid for guiding the Wire in the direction desired.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates to dereeling apparatus, and more specifically, to an apparatus from which strand material in a wound condition on a reel can be payed-out with less difficulty than from many prior art dereeling devices.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Dereeling apparatus of various types have heretofore been proposed. These prior art dereeling devices for the most part have included either a horizontal spindle or a vertical spindle and a friction device for maintaining the payed-out strand material remote from the device in ten- 8101].

Several difliculties have been experienced with prior art dereeling apparatus when used to pay out wire from a spool. Occasionally, the wire has become caught between one of the flanges of the spool and a portion of the dereeling apparatus or frictionally engaged with a spool flange and the wire has become broken. Also, wire occasionally has become loose on the spool or collected between the spool and the aforementioned friction device and the wire has become entangled. When using dereeling apparatus in which the spool does not rotate but remains stationary some loosening of the wire on the spool is desirable as the wire is payed-out. In general, sufiicient loosening of the wire does not occur in dereeling apparatus incorporating horizontally disposed spindles, and excessive loosening of the wire occurs in dereeling apparatus incorporating vertically disposed spindles. Excessive loosening of the wire on the spool exaggerates the aforementioned two difficulties with prior art apparatus.

Since spools are constantly being positioned on and removed from dereeling apparatus in use, it is highly desirable that the loading and unloading of the apparatus be uncomplicated, convenient and without difficulty. It is essential that a spool of wire be placed on such apparatus Without damaging the wire in any respect since damaged wire can also cause entanglements, breakage and other difiiculties.

Further, wire which is being payed-out at a relatively high speed, for example, a thousand feet per minute, tends to move outwardly of the spool and conform to the surrounding structure of the dereeling apparatus. A drastic increase in wire tension has occurred when this structure causes the wire to bend rather sharply. Bends even ap proaching are not desired for this reason. This increased tension in the wire may also cause wire breakage.

For the reasons given above, it is highly desirable to provide an improved dereeling apparatus which is not plagued by the abovementioned difficulties. Further, it is highly desirable to provide an improved dereeling apparatus which is both convenient to use and trouble free in use. The dereeling apparatus of this invention is believed to be a step toward this goal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the broader aspects of this invention, there is provided an apparatus for dispensing strand material wound on a reel comprising a frame and a spindle secured to the frame for removably mounting a reel on the frame. The spindle has an axis which is angularly disposed with reference to a horizontal direction. The length and the shape of the distal end of the spindle are chosen to aid in the positioning of a reel on the spindle and the removal of a reel from the spindle of the apparatus. A reel on the spindle of the apparatus is enclosed by structure having surfaces which guide the strand material on the reel from a wound condition into a payed-out condition.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide an improved dereeling apparatus.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved wire dereeling apparatus which both is convenient to use and reduces the occurrence of wire entanglements and breakage.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a wire dereeling apparatus having a spindle of a length and shape which aids the positioning of a reel on the spindle and the removal of the reel from the spindle, said spindle being angularly disposed with respect to the horizontal.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved wire dereeling apparatus which incorporates structure for guiding the wire from a Wound condition on a reel into a payed-out condition remote from the reel with out incorporating a device associated with the apparatus for maintaining the wire remote from the apparatus in tension.

The abovementioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of a specific embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE'DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of one embodiment of the improved dereeling apparatus of this invention with a reel positioned on the spindle of the apparatus and the apparatus fully assembled;

FIG. 2 is an exploded and perspective view of the improvided dereeling apparatus of this invention shown in FIG. 1, viewed generally in. a direction opposite the direction viewed in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view, partially broken away, of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 showing a preferred lid configuration;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 3 taken substantially along the section line 4-4;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 3 taken substantially along the section line 55;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 3 taken substantially along the section line 66; and

FIG. 7 is a side view, partially broken away, of a second embodiment of the improved. dereeling apparatus of this invention showing a second preferred lid configuration.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, the improved dereeling apparatus 10 of this invention is shown to comprise a frame 12, a spool enclosure 14 and a wire guide 16.

The frame 12 comprises a base 18, a backplate and a spindle 22. The base 18 comprises four lengths 24, 26, 28 and of metal tubing. Lengths 24 and 26 have the same length dimension and lengths 28, 30 have the same length dimension. Lengths 24 and 26 are spaced apart and parallel to each other and secured at the opposite ends thereof to lengths 28 and 30. Lengths 28 and 30 similarly are spaced apart and parallel to each other and secured at the opposite ends thereof to elngths 24 and 26. Lengths 24 through 30 thus define a rectangular shape.

In the specific embodiments illustrated in the drawings, lengths 24 through 30 are lengths of 11 gauge cold-rolled steel tubing and have equal length dimensions and rectangular cross-sectional shapes. Adjacent the opposite corners of the rectangular base 18 are four legs 32. Legs 32 support the base 18 in a spaced-apart relationship with a supporting surface.

Secured to length 26 is a post 34. Post 34 extends sub stantially perpendicularly upwardly from the upwardly facing surface of the base 18, midway between the opposite ends of length 26. Secured to the upper end 36 of the post 34 is one end 38 of the spindle 22. Spindle 22 extends over the base 18 substantially midway between the lengths 28 and 30. Spindle 22 has an axis 40 which defines with the horizontal 41 an acute angle A. (See FIG. 3). Spindle 22 has a distal end 42 which has a beveled surface 44 formed thereon. Surface 44 faces downwardly and is angularly disposed with respect to both the axis 40 and the horizontal. Surface 44 defines an angle B with the axis 40. Spindle 22 is straight and has the same cross-sectional size and shape between ends 38 and 42.

In the specific embodiments illustrated in the drawings post 34 and spindle 22 are each lengths of 11 gauge stainless steel tubing having a circular cross-sectional shape, angle A is approximately 15 degrees and angle B is approximately 45 degrees.

The spool enclosure 14 comprises backplate 20, a front ring 48, a part cylindrical lower plate 50, and a cylindrical enclosure wall 52. Backplate 20 is provided with a centrally located opening 54 therein in which the spindle 22 is positioned. Backplate 20 is secured to the spindle 22 adjacent to end 38 thereof and its connection to end 36 of post 34. Backplate 20 is provided with an interior fiat surface 56 which defines a plane substantially perpendicular to axis 40. Lower plate at one end 58 is secured to backplate 20 adjacent its periphery. Plate 50 extends outwardly away from backplate 20 and beneath spindle 22 generally perpendicularly of surface 56, parallel to axis 40 and coaxial of spindle 22. A support 60 is positioned to extend between plate 50 and length 24 of the base 18. Support 60 is secured to the length 24 midway between lengths 28, 30 of the base 18 and to the plate 4 50 adjacent to end 62 thereof. Ring 48 is secured to plate 50 adjacent to end 62. Ring 48 is coaxial of both plate 58 and spindle 22. End 62 is both an end of plate 50 and ring 48.

In the specific embodiments illustrated, backplate 20 is provided with a flange 66 which extends from surface 56 in the same direction as plate 50. In these embodiments, flange 66 is coaxial of spindle 22 and overlays the exterior surface of the plate 50. Similarly, ring 48 overlays the exterior surface of plate 50.

Backplate 20 forms the bottom of the reel enclosure and plate 50 forms a portion of the side wall of the enclosure. The enclosure side wall upstands from the enclosure bottom. The remaining portion of the side wall of the spool enclosure 14 is defined by the cylindrical wall member 52 which extends coaxially of spindle 22 and between surface 56 of backplate 20 and end 62 of plate 50 and ring 48.

In the specific embodiments illustrated in the drawings, member 52 is positioned within the plate 50, the flange 66, and the ring 48. Thus, the member 52 forms the entire interior surface 100 of the spool enclosure 14 between backplate 20 and end 62 of plate 50 and ring 48. Preferably, member 52 is transparent. In a specific embodiment, member 52 can be made of Plexiglass plastic material.

Ring 48 is provided with a pluraliy of spaced apart lugs 68. These lugs 68 extend generally radially outwardly of the ring 48 and are circumferentially spaced with respect to the ring 48. The purpose of providing ring 48 with the lugs 68 will become obvious from the description following.

The spool enclosure 14 also comprises a lid 70. Lid 70 has a side wall portion 72 and an end wall portion 74. Side wall portion 72 is cylindrical in shape and of a size such that it can be positioned over the ring 48 generally coaxial of ring 48, plate 50 and member 52. Side wall portion 72 in this manner generally forms a continuation of the enclosure side wall defined by member 52. Thus, it may be said that member 52 and the side wall portion 72 each partially define a portion of the side wall of the spool enclosure 14 and together totally define the side wall of the enclosure 14.

End wall portion 74 has an aperture 76 centrally positioned therein. Aperture 76 in the embodiments illustrated in the drawings has an eyelet 79 positioned therein. Between the aperture 76 and the side wall portion 72, the end wall 74 may be shaped in several different ways. In FIG. 3, one of the preferred shapes is illustrated. In this embodiment, end wall 74 between the side wall portion 72 and the aperture 76 is shown to be shaped conically. A second embodiment is shown in FIG. 7. In this embodiment, the same portion of end wall 74 is shown to be bell-shaped with an enlarged mouth portion adjacent to side wall portion 72 and a smaller end portion adjacent aperture 76. The embodiments of FIGS. 3 and 7 are identical except for the shape of end wall 74, and thus, like reference numerals are used to identify like parts of the embodiments.

Lid 70 is adapted to be removably attached to the ring 48 abovementioned to define, together with the backplate 20, plate 50 and member 52, spool enclosure 14. As aforementioned, side wall portion 72 is adapted to fit over the ring 48 thereby to form a continuation of member 52. Adjacent edge 78 of side wall portion 72, a plurality of relatively small angle-shaped slots 80 are formed therein. The same number of slots are provided in the side wall portion 72 as there are lugs 68 on the ring 48. As shown in FIG. 3 these slots are circumferentially spaced and positioned with respect to the edge 78 of side wall portion 72 and communicate with edge 78 such that lugs 68 can be positioned within the slots 80 and the lid 70 rotated about axis 40 into a secure position thereby to removably attach the lid 70 to the ring 64. In this position, side wall portion 72, end wall portion 74 and the aperture 76 are each positioned on axis 40 or an extension thereof.

Guide 16 comprises a base plate 82, an elongated frame 84 and a plurality of spaced-apart eyelet supports 86. Frame 84 is secured at one end 85 to base plate 82. Base plate 82 has an aperture 83 therein and is secured to the lid 70 in a position in which apertures 83 and 76 are in registry with each other and on the same axis as lid 70. Frame 84 extends outwardly away from the lid 70. Eyelet supports 86 are spaced-apart from each other and from the base plate 82. Each of the supports 86 is secured to frame 84 and extend from frame 84 in the same general direction. Each support 86 has an eyelet 88 adjacent its distal end. The eyelet 88 most adjacent to the base plate 82 is positioned on the same axis as lid 70 and thus is also in registry with the apertures 76 and 83. However, eyelets 88 more remote from base plate 82 may be positioned in any one of a number of positions to generally define the path of the material being payed-out from the apparatus.

In a specific embodiment, lid 70 is spun from 16 gauge cold-rolled stainless steel. The base plate 82 and the frame 84 are both formed of cold-rolled steel. Each of the eyelets 79 and 88 are Heanium eyelets. Further, the frame 84 is curved and the supports 86 extend generally radially thereof.

In a specific embodiment, which has been found to meet all of the objects of this invention when used with a conventional nine inch by nine inch spool (such a spool has flanges measuring approximately nine inches in diameter and approximately nine inches between flanges), the base 12 is square and measures about twelve inches by twelve inches. The post 34 is about seven and one-eighth inches long, the spindle 22 is about eleven and threequarters inches long, the backplate 20 is about ten and one-eighth inches in diameter and has a flange 6-6 which is about one-half inch wide. The ring 64 is also about one half inch wide and ten and one-eighth inches in diameter. The plate 50 is formed from sheet metal measuring about nine and one-eighth inches by fourteen inches, and the member 52 measures about ten inches in diameter and nine and one-eighth inches in length. The support 60 is about three inches long, the side wall portion 72 of lid 70 is about ten and fifteen-sixteenths inches in diameter and two and five-eighths inches in axial length. The dimension between the aperture 76 and the edge 78 of lid 70 is about four and one-quarter inches.

In operation, a dereeling apparatus of the type described and illustrated is provided for each size of spool used. Thus, if a nine inch by nine inch spool is going to be used, the apparatus of the invention made in accordance with the dimensions given above is provided. However, if a larger spool, for example, a twelve inch by seven inch spool is going to be used (such a spool has flanges measuring approximately twelve inches in diameter and approximately seven inches between flanges), an apparatus of different dimensions will be provided.

The spool from which wire or the like is desirably payed-out is first positioned on the spindle 22 of the apparatus. As can be seen from the drawings, the distal end portion 42 of the spindle 22 extends from end 62 a considerable distance. Thus, when the cover 70 is removed from the side wall of the spool enclosure 14, the spindle 22 can be easily positioned in the spindle hole of the spool with no chance of the wire on the spool contacting the side wall or the end 62 of the spool enclosure and thereby being damaged. Thus, there is no need to concentrate on positioning the spool exactly coaxial of the spindle prior to placing the spool on the spindle since all that is required is to position the distal end portion 42 of the spindle 22 in the spindle hole of the spool. Once this has been achieved, spindle 22 prevents the spool from becoming angularly disposed with the axis 40 to a degree suflicient for the wire on the spool to engage the side wall of the spool enclosure 14.

With reference to FIG. 3, it can be seen that once the spool is positioned on the spindle 22, one flange of the spool is contiguous with the flat surface 56 of the backplate 20. Thus, there is no room between the surface 56 and the flange of the spool for wire to be positioned therebetween and become caught or otherwise restricted.

As aforementioned, in each of the embodiments of this invention, the diameter of the member 52 is larger than the diameter of the flanges of the spool positioned therein. Thus, the member 52 and the spool define an annular space C therebetween which provides suflicient room for the wire on the spool to move between the member 52 and the spool as it is dereeled therefrom. Further, an annular space D is provided between end 62 and the flange of the spool which is positioned adjacent the distal end portion 42 of the spindle 22. This space D is wider than the difference of the diameters of the spool flanges and the member 52, since the axial dimension between the end 62 and the surface 56 is less than the axial length of the spool. In all of the embodiments of this invention, the width of the space D is not less than one inch and the difference of the diameters of the spool flanges and the member 52 is not less than one half inch.

The provision of the annular space D allows the flange of the spool adjacent the distal end portion 42 of the spindle 22 to be easily gripped and the spool to be easily removed from the spindle when desired. The width of the annular space D allows all of the fingers of ones hands to grasp the spool flange firmly when removing the spool from or placing the spool on the spindle 22. Thus, the provision of the annular space D facilitates and minimizes the time required for handling of the spools in this manner.

Still referring to FIG. 3, it can be seen that when the lid 70 is positioned on the side wall of the spool enclosure 14, the lid 70 defines a space E between the spool and the inner surface 104 of the side wall 72 and the end wall 74 of the lid 70.

As the wire is being removed from the spool, the spool remains stationary on the spindle 22, and the wire 102 revolves around the axis 40 within the spaces C, D and E. Wire 102, as it is being dereeled at relatively high speeds, for example, a thousand feet per minute, moves outwardly of the axis 40 and engages the inner surface 100 of the member 52 and the inner surface 104 of the lid 70.

' Since the surface 100 is entirely defined by member 52,

and the surface 104 is entirely defined by lid 70, these surfaces are relatively smooth such that the wire will not be unduly restrained due to friction between the wire 102 and the surfaces 100 and 104 and the wire will not be damaged as a result of the engagement of the surfaces 100 and 104 therewith.

Further, because of the tendency of the Wire to move outwardly of the spool as the Wire is dereeled therefrom, the Wire will conform generally to the shape of the surfaces 100 and 104 during the dereeling process. As can be seen from the drawings and the shape of the surfaces 100 and 104, the wire conformed to the surfaces 100 and 104 will not change direction abruptly and each bend that the wire negotiates will be substantially greater than In FIG. 3, wire 102 is shown in both solid and dashed lines. The solid lines illustrate the approximate wire shape as it is being dereeled from the spool adjacent to end 42 of the spindle 22. The dashed lines illustrate the approximate shape of the wire 102 as it is being dereeled from the spool adjacent to backplate 20. Thus, in all of the embodiments of this invention, the wire during the dereeling process is not caused to negotiate bends of the severity which has caused drastically increased wire tension in prior art dereeling apparatus as above-mentioned.

Further, in all of the embodiments of this invention, the wire on the spool is able to loosen sufliciently to facilitate the dereeling of the wire from the spool. However, the wire on the spool does not loosen sufficiently to collect at the lower end of the spool and become entangled.

This desirable feature of the dereeling apparatus of the invention is obtained by selecting the proper angle A at which the spindle 22 is disposed with respect to the horizontal.

Subsequent to the placement of the spool on the spindle 22, the wire on the spool must be threaded through the aperture 76 and the eyelets 88. The threading of this wire through the aperture 76 is facilitated by providing a relatively shallow lid 70. For this reason, the depth of the lid 70' of both of the embodiments of this invention preferably is made relatively shallow.

A shallow lid 70 such as that illustrated and disclosed hereina'bove also minimizes the chances of the wire 102 collecting within the space E of the lid 70 and becoming entangled. Such entanglement has occurred in prior art dereeling apparatus. It has been determined that such entanglement does not occur when using lids 70 of the shape disclosed herein so long as the distance between the spool and the eyelet 79' when the apparatus of this invention is fully assembled is less than one-half the largest distance between opposite portions of the side wall portion 72 of the lid 70. With reference to the structure of the specific embodiments illustrated in the drawings, en-

tanglement does not occur so long as the distance between end 42 of the spindle 22 and the aperture 76 is always less than the diameter of side wall portion 72. Similarly, without reference to the shape of the lids 70 disclosed herein, it may be said that such entanglement will not occur so long as the lid 70 between the spool and the eyelet 79 defines a volume less than 7rD 8 where D is the largest distance between opposite portions of side wall portion 72 of the lid 70 measured perpendicularly of axis 40 or an extension thereof.

The use of the wire guide 16 prevents wire damage. conventionally, a capstan or a clip is used in association with prior art dereeling apparatus. Such a tensioning device is used to maintain the wire remote from the apparatus in tension. However, such a capstan or clip often becomes grooved or otherwise deformed during use. 'Deformed capstans or clips may damage the wire as it is being payed-out from a spool.

While there have been described above the principles of this invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for dispensing strand material wound on a reel comprising a frame, a member having a flat surface secured to said frame, a spindle having an axis secured to said member, said spindle extending from said member and away from said surface, said axis being generally perpendicular to said surface, whereby a reel having a centrally located spindle-receiving opening therein can be positioned generally coaxially on said spindle with one of its ends being contiguous to said surface, said spindle and said surface being angularly disposed to the horizontal, said spindle having a distal end portion, said distal end portion being elevated above said spindle adjacent to said member and including means for guiding said spindle into the spindle-receiving opening of a reel and the reel onto said spindle, and means secured to said frame and surrounding said spindle for guiding strand material from a Wound condition on a reel positioned on said spindle into a payed-out condition remote from said spindle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said material guiding means and said member at least partially define a reel container having a bottom and upstanding sides, said member being said bottom, said material guiding means including said sides, said sides upstanding from said bottom and surrounding said spindle, said sides remote from said bottom defining an open end of said container.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said sides are coaxial of said spindle, said sides and said spindle each having a length dimension measured in the direction of said axis, said spindle dimension being longer than said side dimension, whereby said distal end portion of said spindle extends beyond said open end of said container.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a spool positioned on said spindle, said spool having spaced apart end flanges, one of said end flanges being contiguous to said member surface, the other of said end flanges being adjacent to said distal end portion of said spindle, said sides and said spool being generally coaxial of said spindle, said sides and said end flanges defining a clearance therebetween, said spool having a length dimension measured in the direction of said axis between the opposite ends thereof, said sides and said spindle also each having a length dimension measured in the direction of said axis, said spindle dimension being longer than both said side and spool dimensions, said spool dimension being longer than said side dimension, whereby both said other end flange of said spool and said distal end portion of said spindle extend beyond said open end of said container, thereby defining an annular finger space between said other end flange of said spool and said open end of said container thereby aiding in the placement of said spool on said spindle and in the removal of said spool from said spindle.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said clearance between said sides and said spool end fianges measured generally perpendicularly of said axis is greater than one-fourth inch and the distance between said other spool end flange and said open end of said container is not less than one inch.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said axis defines with the horizontal an angle of about 15 degrees, and wherein said spindle and side Walls are circular in crosssections taken perpendicularly of said axis.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said spindle extends over said frame, said spool guiding means includes a flat bevel surface on said distal end portion of said spindle, said flat spindle surface facing said frame and being angularly disposed with respect to said spindle axis, said bevel being spaced from said open end, and wherein at least a portion of said sides are transparent whereby a reel on said spindle can be viewed through said sides.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said material guiding means includes a lid for said container, means on said lid and said sides for removably attaching said lid to said sides thereby to close said open end, said lid having an aperture therein which is positioned remote from said spindle and on said axis when said lid is attached to said sides and said axis is extended, said lid also having an interior, smoothly shaped, material-guiding surface surrounding said aperture, said guiding surface between a reel on said spindle and said aperture, respectively, enclosing a space having a volume less than n'D /8 where D is the largest distance between opposite portions of said sides measured perpendicular to said axis.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said material guiding means includes a lid for said container, said lid having an end wall and an upstanding side wall, a portion of said side Wall being adapted in both size and shape to be positioned in a coaxial and contiguous relationship with respect to said container sides, means on said sides and said side wall for removably attaching said lid to said container with said sides and side wall in said relationship, said end wall having an aperture therein, said end wall and said aperture being coaxial of said side wall, said spindle being coaxial of said sides whereby said aperture and said spindle are on a common axis when said lid is attached to said container, said side wall and said end wall having an interior materialguiding surface remote from said spindle and surrounding said aperture, said surface being a frusto-conical surface having an altitude measured along said common axis of less than one-half the largest distance between opposite portions of said side wall of said lid measured perpendicularly of said common axis.

10. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said material guiding means includes a lid for said container, said lid having an end wall and an upstanding side wall, a portion of said side wall being adapted in both size and shape to be positioned in a coaxial and contiguous relationship with respect to said container sides, means on said sides and said side wall for removably attaching said lid to said container with said sides and side wall in said relationship, said end Wall having an aperture therein, said end wall and said aperture being coaxial of said side wall, said spindle being coaxial of said sides whereby said aperture and said spindle are on a common axis when said lid is attached to said container, said side wall and said end wall having an interior materialguiding surface, said surface between said distal end of said spindle and said aperture being a bell-shaped surface with a flared mouth portion and a smaller opposite end portion, said flared mouth portion being adjacent to said 10 side wall, said opposite end portion being adjacent to said aperture.

11. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said material guiding means includes a lid for said container, means on said lid and said sides for removably attaching said lid to said sides thereby to close said open end, said lid hav ing an aperture therein which is positioned remote from said spindle and on said axis when said lid is attached to said sides and said axis is extended, said lid also having an interior, smoothly shaped, material-guiding surface surrounding said aperture.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,269,672 8/1966 Steinback 242128 3,286,947 11/ 1966 Erickson 242-128 3,371,885 3/1968 Douglas 242-129 3,406,926 10/ 1968 Washburn 242l28 LEONARD D. CHRISTIAN, Primary Examiner 

